Samsung NX20: First Impressions

Positioned here to the left of the new NX210, the NX20 is Samsung's flagship mirrorless camera, and like its predecessor the NX10 it features a DSLR-like form factor with an electronic viewfinder.

On a recent trip to Samsung's Seoul headquarters I got the opportunity to use the new NX20, and get a feel for how it performs. I only had a short time with a pre-production camera, but overall, my impressions of its handling and performance are very positive. Certainly, anyone who has used and liked the NX20's predecessor, the NX10, will find little to complain about in the new model, and much that is very familiar.

Where it sits in the lineup

The NX20 sits at the top of Samsung's totally refreshed NX lineup, above the NX210 and NX1000. All three are based around the same 20MP CMOS sensor and all offer eight frame-per-second continuous shooting and Wi-Fi-connectivity and control, but the NX20 includes a handful of feature unique within the range.

The NX210 doesn't include a viewfinder, nor is its OLED screen articulated - making it less expensive - but it steps forward from the NX200 by adding Wi-Fi, faster continuous shooting and the option to use a cable shutter release and proprietary external microphone. The NX1000 is less expensive still, and features a plastic body, VGA rear screen and retractable kit zoom. Here we'll mainly look at the features of the NX20 that it offers over these other cameras, since they are what makes it the range-topping model.

Articulated 'Clear' AMOLED display

Externally, the most obvious difference between the NX20 and its predecessor is an articulated rear screen. The 3" AMOLED display offers VGA-equivalent resolution in the now-familiar Samsung 'pentile' arrangement, giving a perceptual resolution higher than its relatively-low dot-count of 614k dots might suggest. It's the same underlying OLED panel that we've seen on all of the NX models so far, and as such it is contrasty and detailed, with a wide viewing angle. Articulation makes the screen that bit more usable, of course, especially when it comes to shooting video or stills from high and low angles.

In terms of handling, the NX20 improves on its predecessor by adding both articulation to the rear display screen, and a higher-resolution electronic viewfinder.

The NX20's display itself might offer the same specification as the previous-generation NXs, but there is one significant design change - the air-gap between the display and protective covering has been eliminated by filling it with a UV-cured resin that reduces internal reflections to improve contrast and visibility in bright lighting conditions. Samsung claims that this 'Clear AMOLED' display offers a 20% improvement in contrast ratio and, although I wasn't able to test the NX20 alongside an NX10, it does seem to deliver a genuine benefit in terms of clarity, and I was impressed by how usable the screen is in direct sunlight.

Aside from the articulated screen, the NX20 handles in a very similar way to the NX10. The main difference from more recent cameras like the NX100 and NX200 the provision of an electronic viewfinder, but the grip too has been changed - it is now more pronounced, making the NX20 a generally 'rounder' and more comfortable camera to hold. Where the NX200 looks sharp and stylish, the NX20 looks softer, curvier and more welcoming.

At the heart of the NX20 is a 20.3MP Samsung-made CMOS sensor - the same sensor as that used in the NX200 (and the other newly-released NXs).

From the rear, you can see the NX20's 3in Clear AMOLED screen, which is articulated along its leftmost edge, and its SVGA electronic viewfinder.

From the top, the NX20 looks a lot like the original NX10, but there are are two significant additions to its exposure mode dial - 'Wi-Fi' and 'C', for accessing the camera's wireless functionality and custom shooting banks, respectively.

As you can see from this image, despite the DSLR-style form factor, the NX20 is an impressively compact camera.

The softer, more rounded design belies a serious feature set though - 8fps at full-resolution and an electronic first-curtain shutter allowing a maximum shutter speed of 1/8000 sec with reduced shutter lag (40 milliseconds) are both pretty impressive. These improvements will be welcomed by enthusiast photographers, as will a new 'Custom Mode' feature that allows you to save up to three shooting setups as custom shooting modes. These can then be recalled, either from the Smart Panel, or from a dedicated 'C' position on the exposure mode dial.

Custom shooting modes can be named using an on-screen text-entry dialog or if you're in a hurry, saved automatically by date. Existing features have been given a refresh too - we've been very impressed by the evolution of Samsung's 'iFn' on-lens function feature in the NX range, and iFn 2.0 adds even more options. It's great to see an electronic spirit level added to the NX20, too, which indicates roll and pitch.

All three of the new NX models feature an electronic spirit level which indicates up-down movement away from the parallel, and left/right tilt.

The 100% coverage electronic viewfinder is the key differentiator between the NX20 and the NX210, and although I was using an early sample which I was told may not have been up to production quality, I enjoyed using the finder for image composition. The resolution of the NX20's EVF is SVGA (800 x 600 pixels, 1.44M dots), and in my experience remains pleasantly contrasty and detailed in all but the strongest side light (where like the NX10, the screen image is prone to 'flaring out').

The only serious annoyance that came out of my short time with the NX20 was related to the position of its direct movie recording button. I shot a lot of movie clips on the NX20 when I used it, but most of them were recorded accidentally thanks to the prominence of the movie record button on the upper right shoulder of the camera.

The NX20's movie record button is positioned on the upper-right shoulder of the camera, in precisely the right (or rather wrong) position to be knocked accidentally by the thumb of the right hand.

On a few occasions during my time with the camera, even shifting my grip after lowering the NX20 from my eye was enough, I found, to accidentally bump this button, causing movie recording to initiate.

Apart from this minor irritation though the NX20 is, like its predecessor, a pleasant camera to use, with an interesting and competitive feature set. The addition of Wi-Fi is of huge significance to Samsung as a step on the way to achieving its stated aim of creating a generation of 'connected cameras' and refinements like increased continuous shooting speed and display articulation add real benefit in day to day shooting.

I wasn't able to save (or even closely examine) images from the NX20 that I used in Korea, but there is nothing to suggest that image quality won't be broadly in line with our expectations based on experience with the NX200, which uses the same 20MP CMOS sensor. We should be receiving an NX20 shortly, and we will publish a more in-depth assessment and sample images as soon as possible.

@Andy: so was I! but dpr doesn't seem to want to do it. I think the time window is closing on this, as the secret is getting out on the new 2013 models. Let us hope that they'll give Samsung some mindshare, and in a more timely manner, next time around.

@DPR: if you changed your mind about the review, please, just say so. The "appended" incomplete review of the NX210 was a half-hazard job. So please, don't rest on that one, as it refers back to much negative feedback on the nx200 and is inconvenient to weed through the old one that completes the incomplete one. Please, just give us a clean review. I hope the Sony advertising revenues don't stop you from doing that.

Dear dpReview,Does The Samsung NX20 compete and overall surpass the Sony NEX-7 camera system? On paper at least, it seems The NX20 is quite the formidable competitor. It has a 20MP APS sensor, an attractive large 3 inch articulated EVF, compact mirrorless design, large feature set, and a larger native lens system arguable right now better then that of Sony’s. The question remains, has Samsung overcome its ill-famed design flaws: slow processing time, slow low light AF time, and slow continuous AF, enough in The NX20 to make it a viable alternative to the Sony’s NEX-7? Thanks!

If you like the Nex7 format, go with the NX210. It costs a bit less than the NX20, has the same sensor and processor, and a great screen too. A friend of mine gave me a great suggestion: rent one for a day, before buying. Some of the better camera stores may offer that.

Tried this in the store this week. Camera seems awesome but the zoom on the lens was crap. So stiff and rough that you torque the entire camera when you start to zoom in or out. That won't work when you want to zoom in or out during video. And what of the lens choices? Not much if you still want IS during video. The camera is clearly far ahead of the lens department for this series.

I'm curious as to whether this is a quality control problem... I have an NX1000 with the 20-50mm zoom and it is nice ans smooth. Same series of lenses. So they may be having a manufacturing consistency/tolerances problem. Wonder if this has been fixed?

After using an NX1000, NX200, and several samsung lenses for a while, I'm thinking maybe the store model that you are referring to had a damaged lens - that had been dropped by a customer or something? Because although many lenses have a cheap plastic mount (it may be deliberate so it can break when dropped, to protect lens and camera - just wondering why they'd do that otherwise), the lenses work pretty good.

Look forward to a full review !!.....this is a very tasty bit of kit !!

But Samsung really need to bring out a decent wide-angle zoom, say10-20mm or similar for landscapes/interiors.....then it would be a viablesmall, lightweight outfit, for carrying with a rucksack, for walking the countryside !

Given the current price for Panasonic DMC-G3 ($618 with 14-42 lens), this should not cost more than $700 (for WiFi, although an EyeFi card solves this problem for Pana). But I bet Samsung will try to price it significantly more.

First, NX20 DMC-G3 are not at the same league (APS-C vs MFT)Second, NX20's price is MSRP, and it is not on the market yet.Third, NX 20 has a WiFi direct system which is not the same thing as a simple WiFi feature provided by a EyeFi card. With Wifi direct you dont need a WiFi router.

Really, you don't do video, so you think the button is a turn off. Cause you are the only person on the planet, and everyone thinks just like you. Is there something of real value that you don't like. Say....Image Quality. Maybe the texture isn't right. Sheesh!

given this is a nice step forward from the NX10, i actually have the NX11, I couldn't recommend these cameras high enough. Coming from a full size DLSR that would be left behind because its weight the NX11 is always with us. Additionally, the i-function makes it so easy to use and the camera exudes quality in every piece, no rubber door over the card or battery mount etc etc. Cant wait to have a try on the NX20 when it arrives, maybe check out the 18-200 lens for it also. Only downsides for me, low light performance seems a problem point for it and high speed shots. But small gripes overall in a great package

Right - a step ahead with respect to the predecessors, of course. And it's small enough! But - important for me - usability means too having more "dslr-like" controls left and right the LCD, and furthermore what's my beating argument against the cam: the LCD position outside the optical axis when swiveling it. I'm simply averse to that, as I rarely use the EVF, except in situations with bright sunlight, manual focusing, e.g. Here the brain profoundly "de-couples" hand and eye ... :). Concerning the image quality: let's wait for the full test and its results. A rank position around the Alpha NEX-5N would be great - but ... I'd like to see!

This is in several ways a step ahead of Sony NEX, but still misses on a lot of the basics. Samsung's been learning a lot from Sony; let's see if Sony can learn a little from Samsung and start to support the "connected camera" concepts... at least allowing USB tethered control (like they should have all along!).

Note that 800x600x3 = 1.44M "dots". Camera companies triple their pixel counts both for sensors and LCD panels, so it may simply be a case of Samsung being accidentally honest. 800x600 isn't great, but it's on par with the new OM-D-M5 and the Nikon V1 (but not as nice as the 2.4 million "dot" EVFs in the NEX-7 and A-77.

If Apple were a camera company, the new iPad would have a 9.4 million "dot" display.

I can't see why one can complain about nx200 sensor? It is just great, and even perfect for the money!Before criticize smth or smb just try to understand, I mean wi-fi is an excellent and very useful feature.Then you talk about 8 fps, is not enough for you? You must be very crazy photographer who needs rather a video camera than a photocamera.

Another NEX fanboi slamming all that isn't Sony. Have you noticed the aspect ratio of the NEX screen isn't true to the aspect ratio of the camera sensor? So you're wasting screen space and getting a smaller equivalent image of your picture... And I'll take that NX200 sensor, no problem. Corrected for resolution I don't see how it gives up one iota of detail or IQ to the 16MP NEX 5N.

Focus peaking is no more effective than using the FA assist bar on the old NX series. I use the telltale 'shimmer' of in-focus elements without any bar or flashing contrasts at all. It's a much more accurate measure of focus with my NX100.

NX200 has an excellent sensor. Close enough to the Sony 16 MP or 24 MP that it is a non issue. Might not have quite the dynamic range of the Sony in RAW, but is close and much better than the old NX10/100 sensor.

The rear display is AMOLED, totally different technology than the NEX, and I actually prefer the AMOLED.

Many current cameras have a similar 800x600 viewfinder, Sony A57, A55, Panasonic, etc. Also, 800x600 is higher resolution than the rear display on all cameras, 921k displays are only 640x480x3.

Why in the world would 8 fps at 20 MP be a problem?

Also, the big problem with EyeFi cards is they aren't well integrated. I will take an integrated WiFi solution any day.

Focus Peaking is an absolute necessity for a mirrorless camera. It is a crippled toy without it.

I just got my K 01 and can laugh at the reviewers that disliked it. It is a serious tool. Video rocks. IQ is about as good as it gets. Clean ISO 3200+ and one can focus accurately in very low light with focus peaking.

Only if using manual focus only lenses. The AF lenses on Samsung are all DMF, so you turn the focus ring and the camera instantly zooms in on the selected focus point so you can get critical focus.

Also, since there is a shimmer to the rear AMOLED display where it is critically focused, it acts just like focus peaking if you learn to watch for it.

The bottom line is the K-01 is going to appeal to different consumers than the NX20. BTW I wasn't bashing the K-01 styling in my earlier thread, just that it has a strong style that is very different than the classic styling of this camera or the simple styling in the NEX cameras.

Anyone who's used an NX (ie. not most vocal NEX fans) know you can use FA green meter bar or the 'shimmer' the AMOLED exhibits for in-focus areas. It's the most accurate focusing method I've used on any camera and there's no need for extra contrast flashing regions or other image-obstructing methods. On my 'lowly' NX100 I get razor sharp focus almost every time using legacy Konica adapted lenses.

Gesture, the newer Samsung NX200 (and presumably these new models) all have much higher magnification than the NX10/100 for focus assist. I believe it is 5x and 8x (which is plenty), where the old NX10/100 were only 2x.

Camera looks are personal taste. I really like the full frontal on this camera with the swept grip and shape of the viewfinder hump/flash housing. It will look great with the 85mm f/1.4 and 60mm f/2.8 macro, and also the pancakes.

I also like the little brick NEX cameras, but they are not modern styled or anything, actually, they don't have much style at all, they are about the lens.

Then you can over do the styling a la Pentax K-01. Someone is going to like any of these cameras. The question is will enough people like it to make it sell? The only issue I see with the Samsung is they should have made an external viewfinder for the NX210 to appeal to those who want the VF but the sleeker design. I imagine they are saving features for their next releases though.

Try the FA setting on the NX100; it's really helpful. Being able to zoom in is near useless with out high res screen. And maybe I was unclear when I said the focus rings are really well done on the Samsung lenses, but what that means is Samsung easily beats the Fuji X100 for manual focus control.

NX200 already has more than 2x zoom, don't recall off hand but it is like 5x and 9x or something. The one improvement they need to make is so you can zoom for manual focus lenses in a point other than the center (you can zoom in at any point if using DMF).

Thank god they took the opportunity with the NX210 to add compressed RAWs and mic jack, not just a simple WI-Fi update.

I'm surprised the NX1000 is up to specification aside from the screen and body material quality- I would've expected Samsung to skimp out on the sensor like Panasonic does with its GF line.

The NX20 seems very interesting, but I'm still not sure if it's enough; however, there's yet to be detailed information so of course, holding back on judgment.

I was a bit disappointed Samsung didn't learn from the Sony NEX7 in the placement of the video record button- no one wants a record button right where your thumb would lie. They should have placed it over where the old Menu button used to be, or even added a second button on the front to accommodate it.

Barney, have you looked through the NX10s viewfinder.. Would you be able to give a sense of how much an improvement the NX20's viewfinder is? Image size/resolution. Was the rear thumbwheel clicky or smooth on rotation? Another thing many will want to know is have samsung increased the image magnification for manual focus. A popular bugbear!

Panasonic's buffer implementation still has room for improvement, even with the GX1 you have to wait for the buffer to empty before previewing the last image, where on my ancient Canon S3IS it would preview the last image taken even while it was still writing to the card.

Still it's amazing how many cameras still get such a basic (software) feature completely wrong and lock up while writing.

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